Becoming a Geek

Hi there. Rory here, stepdad and geek extraordinaire! I’m one of the five (yes five!) new writers for GeekDad. I have walked many paths in my life. I have saved lives, been a model, a photographer, and an activist. And all throughout that time, I’ve never considered myself a part of the “In Crowd” or the “Geek Crowd.” I’ve simply been myself. It wasn’t until a short time ago that I discovered that I’m a capital “G” Geek. How is it that it took so long for me to become a geek? The answer is simple.

I didn’t become a geek. I was born a geek, and just never knew it. Without the modern conveniences of the Internet, smartphones, or even cable television, I never knew that all the things I was (and still am) were, well, “geeky.” I thought I was just enthusiastic and a little bit odd. A little too excited about the Lord of the Rings movies. A bit too concerned with where Tom Bombadil got off to. And things like that.

Alas, I was doomed to live in ignorance of my glorious geekhood until I was 21. That was when I started playing World of Warcraft more than once a week. I started using chat programs like Ventrillo. People started asking me to Skype. I was amazed! It wasn’t that the technology was amazing. It was that the people talked about things I never got to discuss. Suddenly, Doctor Who, Firefly, and Joss Whedon were all acceptable conversation topics. A friend of mine referred to her fantastic aerial maneuver as a “Crazy Ivan” and it hit me: All my new friends were geeks. I called her a geek, and she said, “I love you too!”

I was so confused. I had seen people try for years to shake that particular pejorative. I couldn’t believe that this person took it as a term of endearment. Talking to her about it, she explained that in many circles (of geeks) it was considered almost chic to be geek. She introduced me to The Guild, Star Trek, and so many other fonts of geeky references, that I really cannot thank her enough.

In the end, I came to realize that I’m not the geekiest person around, but it’s enough to know my way around a sonic screwdriver, and a long sword. I took my many welcomes into the world of geekdom in stride. Now I am happy to be a geek stepdad to two of the most adorable geeks in the world.

Now, if you will excuse me, I need to finish ordering my first set of Lego elements, and writing next week’s episode of Dungeons & Dragons. Allons-y!

5 thoughts on “Becoming a Geek”

Welcome to the team, Rory. I’m with you… grew up a geek but in the Pre-Internet days, I only had my close friends and had no idea there was an entire world filled with us! Yes, Geek is IN, and it’s a good place to be.